Kristie Ackert of the Daily News broke the story that Mets captain David Wright had to lay down the law Tuesday afternoon when he spotted prospect Noah Syndergaard eating lunch in the clubhouse while the Mets’ Intrasquad game was taking place.

“Wright had just finished his work in the scrimmage and ran into the clubhouse where starting pitcher Zack Wheeler was talking to reporters.”

“That’s when he noticed Syndergaard, who did drills in the morning and who was not playing in the intrasquad game, sitting at the table in the clubhouse. Wright walked up and quietly but intently spoke to Syndergaard. Though his voice was quiet the word “bench,” was heard at least twice. The 22-year old spent the rest of the game out in the dugout watching the game, which ended in a scoreless tie.”

“It was a miscommunication,” Syndergaard said, explaining that he had missed lunch earlier in the day and was trying to eat and get out to the game.

Wright would not address the incident, nor would he talk about Syndergaard specifically, but he did speak about what he feels young players should be doing in training camp.

“If there is a young player that is here (in major-league camp) there is a reason, they have talent and potential,” Wright said. “I would encourage them to use this chance to take every opportunity to learn from it. If you are a young pitcher, you can learn from sitting in with meetings with Dan (Warthen) or watching a Zack Wheeler, who I know is young, but he has experience.”

“That’s what I think all young players should be doing,” Wright said. “That’s all.”

Good job by the Mets captain who continues to impress me as a leader. As the one everyone looks up to, it’s up to Wright to set the tone and the example, while addressing things like this before they escalate or become a distraction. Wright is the top cop in that clubhouse. Here are some reactions and I’ll add to them as others speak up:

Bobby Parnell – “When you have a young and impressionable player, and you need to make him understand something that he’s not understanding, you have to be a little forceful.”

Noah Syndergaard – “I took it as a teaching moment. He made his point. I understand where David was coming from. We’re playing a team sport. I should be out there supporting my teammates.”

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/03/david-wright-scolds-noah-syndergaard-story-and-reactions.html/feed/0Are Mets Capable of a 40 WAR Season and Going to the Playoffs?http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/02/are-mets-capable-of-a-40-war-season-and-going-to-the-playoffs.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/02/are-mets-capable-of-a-40-war-season-and-going-to-the-playoffs.html/#commentsTue, 17 Feb 2015 15:53:51 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=174651

Mark Simon of ESPN, took to GM Sandy Alderson’s “10 win” comments from earlier this month and decided to measure that improvement in WAR. After compiling a total of 29.6 WAR last year (ESPN WAR not FanGraphs), a 10 win improvement would put the Mets a shade under an overall total of 40. According to Simon,”nine teams got at least that much WAR from their rosters in 2014. All nine won at least 88 games. The average win total among them was 91.8. Eight of those teams made the playoffs…” Who does he see as the big contributors in Queens?

Obviously, Matt Harvey and David Wright are both at the top of this list. Each player has been tasked with producing a 5.0 WAR season next year and if both these guys can stay healthy, I think that’s a realistic figure. Wright’s last season with a 5.0+ WAR was 2013 when he posted 5.9 in only 112 games, some regression on that production played over 140 games could easily be valued at 5.0+.

Honestly, I stay the course for the majority of this article, but I had to point out that he produced a 2.5 WAR season in 2010 and that makes no sense- regardless of his defense. He played 157 games, had an OBP of .354, slugged at a .503 clip, hit 29 home runs and knocked in 103 RBI’s, yet that was somehow less valuable than his 2014 season which was worth 2.8 WAR. What?

For Harvey, I think he’ll bounce back with a big 2015 campaign. How that ligament holds up over his career is debatable, but this year, I expect him to produce a 6.0-7.0 WAR season. It’s a bold prediction, but it was confirmed that his velocity was right back where it was prior to the injury, that was all I needed to see to ensure great production in the short run.

Jacob deGrom was apparently snubbed by most projection systems who see him regressing significantly, but Simon noted that if he is able to replicate last year’s 9-6, 2.69 ERA pace over 32 games, he’ll be worth about 4.50 WAR. Jacob got terrible run support, so I’m assuming his win % is in some way impacting that projection. I’d think a 2.69 ERA over 32 starts would be worth more than 4.5 wins over a replacement player, but the stat is more of a gauge, so I’ll let it be.

Travis d’Arnaud was projected at 3.0 WAR. I think this drastically undervalues the power he’ll add to the middle of the lineup and WAR does not calculate any value for pitch framing, so those who prefer their catchers be measured by traditional standards- WAR is your go to guy. To be honest, I see d’Arnaud adding to the lineup what David Wright will likely give up in regression. TDA is capable of posting over a 4.0+ WAR season and I think that’s what the Captain will produce as well, so the net/net still gets the team towards October baseball.

Wilmer Flores. This one is tough because at shortstop, Flores isn’t maximizing his potential, but 2.0 is a low number and here’s my logic (coming from a guy who despises the idea of him at SS). Jhonny Peralta was able to generate 5.8 WAR last year with serviceable defense (actually, great defense according to the metrics- similar eye to stat sheet translation that Flores has), a .263 batting average, 21 home runs and 75 RBI’s. It’s a little early to don Flores as the next Peralta, but that’s essentially what everyone is expecting him to produce, so I think a 2.0 WAR is well below what he’ll actually generate. To be conservative, but also fair, I’d give Flores a 3.0 WAR on the year. Either way, I really respect his work ethic and I genuinely hope he proves everyone, including me, dead wrong.

Zack Wheeler was way undervalued in this analysis. The grading was fair based on his prior stats, but his career has kept pace with names like Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez and Zack Greinke so 2.0 has to be the bottom of what the Mets are expecting. I see Wheeler quietly emerging as a bona fide ace in 2015 and if he repeats the same level of growth he measured in 2014, I’d wager his WAR at the end of the regular season to be right around Harvey and deGrom’s. I’ll put him at 4.5 WAR. Bold, but he’s shown steady progressive growth and I’ll take that any day over a flash in the pan.

Juan Lagares has the ability to slap pitches low and away, but there’s little power reward in that approach and hopefully the Mets made that the top priority for him this offseason. He showed a brief flash of power after pitchers stopped going away on him and started going inside. When he pulls the ball, there’s a lot of power potential in his bat. If he can hit .280 with doubles power and 10-15 home runs, his defense will carry that WAR figure well above the 5.0 mark, Simon seemed to agree.

Lucas Duda showed a lot of promise last year and in many more ways than what we saw on the surface. Offensively, I think his walk and home run totals will stay the same, but there’s good reason to believe his average and OBP will go up a tick. 2014 was a year of constant adjustment for him. First, he had to prove he was a viable starter. Then he had to prove he could hit cleanup. Then he had to prove he could hit breaking pitches. Then, he had to start hitting lefties. What’s encouraging is he accomplished all those goals by the end of the season- even lefties.

After the All-Star break, Duda put up some interesting numbers against LHP, hitting .250/.333/.375 against southpaws at Citi Field and holding his own against lefties coming out of the pen (.267/.333/.367). Understandably, he was much worse against starters (.111/.167/.111). However, the one stat that didn’t correlate to anything were his numbers against lefties on the road (.162/.220/.189), not sure what that was all about. I think he’ll still struggle against tough starting LHP’s, but he played good defense and showed a knack for picking out tough throws in the dirt so I think it’s important to keep him in the lineup daily.

Also, in my mind, how a player ends the year says a lot. In the month of September against all left-handed pitchers, Duda went 7-25 with a .280/.345/.440 slashline. Not exactly a whale of a sample size, but it shows that- along with the other improvements he’s had to make- he can adjust at the big league level and he can hit lefties. The Mets don’t need him to produce at the same level he does against RHP, they just need him to keep the lineup moving so his teammates can pick up the slack, great teams do this. I think he’s capable of being a decent singles hitter against southpaws with better defense than the stats will tell you and because of that, I see his WAR being closer to 4.0+.

Little attention was given to Daniel Murphy, although Simon admits to giving him a boost based off of his offensive prowess. He pegged Murphy between 2.0-2.5 WAR which is anywhere from fair to slightly optimistic in my opinion. Murphy is a valuable offensive asset, but his defense is a liability considering Zack Wheeler and Jon Niese generate a lot of groundballs and this organization’s success is literally founded on maximizing the results of the pitching staff. I think the writing is on the wall for Daniel and trading him will open the door for the unforeseen x-factor (i.e. prospect being called up) who Simon believes will give the Mets a “boost”.

Other factors contributing to a 40 WAR season are the bullpen and the bench. Personally, this bullpen looks great and the bench is poised to add the right amount of offense. It’s no secret, the starters are going to have to stay healthy in order for the above scenarios to happen.

What do you ladies and gentleman think? Are the Mets capable of producing a 40 WAR season and/or making the playoffs with this current roster?

Alex asks…

Do you think the Mets will trade Daniel Murphy before the trade deadline? It’s pretty clear they are not extending him. Let’s say the Mets go into July with a slim one game lead on the second wild card (I wish!) and Daniel Murphy is having another All Star season and in the top five in hits, doubles, and runs scored, would they still trade him? Or do they keep him and he walks at the end of the season leaving us with nothing to show for him? How should they play this?

Daniel replies…

I say Murphy will be traded at the deadline in an attempt to improve the roster or add farm depth, especially if he is an All-Star. His value has never been higher than it was at the All-Star break last year, a repeat performance would be a great second opportunity for the Mets to capitalize on a high return.

Even if Murphy is doing well, perhaps even a tick better than last year on both sides of the ball, with the Mets in the thick of it – I think the organization still treats it as a decision based on the long term instead of the short and opts to add depth on the farm or includes him as part of a trade to upgrade the current roster.

That being said, it all depends on the team’s position in the NL East and how the rest of the roster is playing at the time of the deadline. If the pitching staff manages to keep this team in the thick of it, but Murphy is yet again one of the few reliable hitters on an anemic offense, he would likely be retained and allowed to walk after the season.

Back to my original sentiments though, I think this offense will be more potent than critics are giving it credit for and Murphy will end up being one of the casualties of emerging farm growth.

Dilson Herrera has been projected as a future All-Star and already showed a ton of promise during his surprise call-up last year. He seems like a quick learner and under the tutelage of Wally Backman and George Greer, it’s highly likely he could be ready to compete at the major league level for a job by the All-Star break. Even if Herrera becomes part of a trade package, SS incumbent Wilmer Flores showed serious promise at second base in a brief stint last year that only deepens the talent at the position and increases the need to move Murphy’s salary (not that I care how many dollars the Mets save).

It’s a tough decision, but it’ll be a business decision at the end of the day, that’s for sure. Murphy, along with Bobby Parnell, Jon Niese (also facing the trade block) and David Wright, are the last Amazins to play in Shea Stadium. I suppose there’s always a sense of nostalgia when you consider that thought. He’s a hard worker, loves the fans, the city and has always made it known that his loyalties are with the NY Mets. For that, I hope Murphy has a great 2015 with this team and gets to enjoy a championship with the club, but if not, I still hope he enjoys continued success wherever the road leads him next.

The Mets and Jenrry Mejia have agreed to a one year deal for 2.595 million to avoid arbitration, according to Jon Heyman. Mejia had filed for $3.0 million while the Mets initially offered $2.1 million.

Mejia will likely start the season as the Mets closer no matter what Terry Collins keeps saying about it being a competition this Spring.

So we have only Lucas Duda left to sign as arbitration hearings begin next week. Someone asked me if I thought the delay could be the two sides working on an extension, but I’m sure that’s not the case given how broke the team still is. I still expect both sides to settle before their hearing.

January 16

The Mets have avoided arbitration with Daniel Murphy, agreeing to a one-year, $8 million deal with him on Friday night. Murphy had submitted an $8.6 million figure while the Mets countered with $7.4 million.

According to what a team source told Adam Rubin the Mets have no plans for a multi-year deal with Murphy and the All Star second baseman will head into free agency after the 2015 season.

The team has already reached deals with Dillon Gee for $5.3 million earlier in the day, and for $1.88 million with shortstop Ruben Tejada. They signed Bobby Parnell for $3.7 million last week.

Alex asks…

I have a question about Daniel Murphy. Let’s say the Mets are in the thick of a fight for the division a game out of first. Murphy is having a typical season and is in the top five in doubles, runs and base hits while batting .285. Will the Mets trade him at the deadline? Should they? It’s obvious the Mets won’t make a qualifying offer after the season so he ends up walking away like Jose Reyes did only this time we get no compensation draft pick. Have we totally misplayed this?

Tommy replies…

Much has been made about Daniel Murphy’s future with the Mets. He’s a reliable hitter with average speed (he can be sneaky, too: he stole 23 bases in 2013). He can play a few positions at a justifiable level, but defense is not his strong suit. He has worked very hard to become an okay second baseman, although cannot be called “good” at that position by any means. He had his moments at first base, which isn’t that hard of a position to play, and showed promise at third base while filling in for David Wright. He was a total train wreck in left field (the error he made against the Marlins that cost Johan Santana the game in a duel with Josh Johnson still haunts me). Some of his harsher critics have described him as nothing more than a “super-utility infielder.” But for the “utility” critics out there, it’s worth noting that the Mets were made to look rather foolish by Justin Turner, who had an excellent season in 2014 after being dumped by the Mets.

Anyway, I would say that you can live with him in the infield (although putting him up the middle with another weak defender in Wilmer Flores isn’t ideal) and he will make it worth your while at the plate. While Murph has little power— he should post about 10 home runs a season, give-or-take— he is an excellent contact hitter who can drive the ball into the gaps for a double with regularity. He doesn’t miss a beat with runners in scoring position, either, which is tough to say about most of the guys on this Mets team. To say Murphy isn’t a second baseman right now— to call him a utility guy without a position, seems rather unwise from my point of view. Some players are stronger with the bat, others are better with the glove.

Daniel Murphy is one of the better players on New York’s roster, and definitely one of the best Mets who doesn’t do their work from the pitcher’s mound. Daniel was fittingly given the honor of representing the Mets at the All-Star Game last summer, and he led his team in several offensive categories. He’s a big piece of the puzzle. So what’s the problem with Murphy? Why are we asking questions about him? MONEY, of course!

Murph’s contract is up after this season, the Mets haven’t been blown away in trade offers for him, and the team has made it quite apparent that they don’t intend to offer him a long-term deal this season. Murphy will probably end up getting somewhere between $8 and $12 million dollars a year, and a 3 or 4 year contract, if I had to guess. Teams like the Yankees and Dodgers would happily dole out 4 years and $40 million to a key piece of their lineup, especially if offense was the team’s weakness, but the Mets can’t operate like a kid who has turned the “budget” setting off in his video game, so there is a tough decision to be made on Murphy. I would probably give him a deal around 3 years and $30 million and see if he takes it.

Murphy is a good player– an asset. And it’s not a guarantee that he will be around for the long haul so the Mets should look to get something out of him. They can try to get a few years of solid baseball by signing him to a reasonable extension. They can try to get a prospect or a major-league contributor for him now or at the deadline, maybe making him part of a package for a game-changing bat. Or, if they find themselves in the thick of the race as the question proposed, they could decide that having Daniel Murphy in their lineup down the stretch (and hopefully into October) is valuable enough to keep him through the season regardless of whether they intend to sign him.

In today’s game, with two wild cards, it’s a bit risky to really “go for it” unless you’re really in the division hunt, because you’re no longer guaranteed a playoff series– you might get no more than one game to show for your strong regular season (as Billy Beane knows very well). But if the Mets are in the hunt, I don’t think they would “dump” or even “sell” Murphy like they did with, for example, Marlon Byrd.

This team needs to win to get its credibility back, and unless they get a far better return than they have supposedly gotten in offers for Murphy to this point, shedding one of the team’s best hitters in the middle of a playoff race would be a very questionable move. Unless, of course, Murphy were bringing back a guy who could contribute right away, or being moved in a package for a star.

If however, the Mets find themselves heading towards another irrelevant September and a sub-500 season, then they would have to decide if they intend to sign Murphy to an extension, and if not, trading him would almost certainly be the right move.

As for the second part of the question, I disagree with the claim that it is “obvious” that the Mets would not offer Murphy a qualifying offer (which would be a 1-year deal worth roughly $15 million).

First of all, no player has ever accepted a qualifying offer, so the chances they would have to aren’t very high. He won’t be seeing long-term offers that pay him $15 million a season, but players tend to value years over average salary, so Murphy would likely decline the qualifying offer and look for a deal structured similarly to the hypothetical ones I have proposed above.

If Murphy were to accept the qualifying offer, it probably wouldn’t be the end of the world. The Wilpons might not be able to hand out lucrative multi-year contracts like candy, but paying a solid hitter somewhere around $15 million on nothing more than a one-year commitment should still be pretty feasible for the MLB’s newest chief of finance. At least if Murphy declines the offer and leaves for elsewhere, the Mets will likely be compensated with a first or second round draft pick. So all things considered, I think the Mets would and should tender Murphy a qualifying offer.

To wrap things up: I don’t think the Mets have totally misplayed this, as they have several options and still have the time and the means to adapt to however the season plays out for Daniel and the team. There is, of course, still time for the Mets to mishandle the situation, but up to this point, I think Sandy Alderson and the rest of the front office have handled things adequately.

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/01/daniel-murphy-mid-season-trade-candidate.html/feed/0Olney: Dilson Herrera Will Be An All-Star Within Three Yearshttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/01/olney-dilson-herrera-will-be-an-all-star-within-three-years.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/01/olney-dilson-herrera-will-be-an-all-star-within-three-years.html/#commentsSat, 17 Jan 2015 21:27:06 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=173408

Earlier this week in front of an audience at Pitch Talks, Buster Olney of ESPN.com stated that Mets prospect Dilson Herrera will be an All-Star second baseman within three years, and that Daniel Murphy is just holding down his spot.

“I can tell you, having talked with people on other teams, they think Herrera is a legitimate, big time player.” Said Olney.

Last season between Single-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton, Herrera hit at a .323/.379/.479 clip, with 33 doubles, 5 triples, 13 home runs, 71 RBI and 23 stolen bases.

Herrera, a consensus top ten prospect in a deep Mets system, appeared in 18 games for the Mets last year, batting .220/.303/.407 in 59 at-bats with 3 home runs and 11 RBI.

My guess, and many people’s guess, is that Daniel Murphy will be traded at or before this year’s trade deadline, and if Herrera is ready, he could see a promotion depending on what the Mets decide to do with Wilmer Flores.

MLB teams now have until Friday to submit their bids for each player, although keep in mind both sides can still negotiate before their arbitration hearings and agree to a deal. I expect that to be the case for all five players. Salary arbitration hearings are held during the first three weeks of February.

Last week, I wrote about how the tide seems to be shifting with how the Mets are viewed by mainstream media. I even predicted that a few sites like ESPN or Fox Sports would choose the Mets as their playoffs sleeper pick for 2015. Even online sports betting is reflecting a positive seismic shift towards the Mets. In the last three months, the Mets have seen their odds to win the World Series go from 40:1 to 25:1.

On Monday, Jesse Spector of the Sporting News, wrote that the the Mets can be very close to a playoff team without doing anything at shortstop.

“The lineup, with Michael Cuddyer joining the core of Lucas Duda, Curtis Granderson, Daniel Murphy, and David Wright, is better than it probably gets credit for, and don’t forget how well Travis d’Arnaud hit after his brief demotion to Triple-A. It is possible that the only real weak spots in the Mets’ batting order will be shortstop and center field, and I wouldn’t count out the idea of Juan Lagares getting better at the plate. As it is, his value in the field makes him worth having in the lineup.”

While he doesn’t believe it’s necessary for the Mets to make the playoffs, Spector says the addition of a Troy Tulowitzki at shortstop, would make October baseball a slam dunk for the Mets.

Whether that’s true or not I couldn’t tell you, but it’s certainly nice to start seeing the Mets getting a lot of positive press and even some rave reviews of late.

Sandy Alderson confirmed once again that there is a “very high” probability Wilmer Flores is the Opening Day shortstop.

“I don’t think the Jed Lowrie signing increases the probability, because we weren’t really in on Lowrie,” Alderson said.

“To that extent the probability of Wilmer Flores as the Opening Day shortstop remains about the same, but I think it’s very high.”

Surveying The Mets SS Landscape

The starting shortstop role for the NY Mets will be resolved once and for all, although not until mid 2015 when it makes more sense to execute a move. There are too many moving variables this winter and not enough willingness from trade suitors to entertain the Mets’ offers, or vice versa. The team has internal options at shortstop, with high offensive ceilings, but the jury is still out on whether any of them have the range to stick at the position defensively. So what can change between now and the end of the July trade deadline that gives the Mets another opportunity to seek an upgrade?

First, free agency is an option for the Mets, but I’m not buying this as the route Sandy Alderson is going to take. Players like Jed Lowrie and Stephen Drew were once incredible defenders at their position, with moderate to above average pop in their bats, but they’re at an age where even their defense starts to become unreliable. Making anything other than a one year offer seems to go against what the organization is aiming for, a younger core of players under team friendly contracts, but anything is possible so I won’t eliminate this entirely.

In reality, another three and half months of baseball should be enough time to make a final decision on Wilmer Flores at shortstop. Regardless if he plays well there or not, I think Flores will be moved to second base permanently the moment Daniel Murphy is traded, which I also believe is imminent. Teams like the Giants, who have checked in on Murphy, may feel inclined to test their internal options at second and third base to start the season. However, their last ditch efforts may prove fruitless in the middle of a playoff race, which sends Murphy’s value upward. This creates potential for a return of high end prospects, or it could also be the catalyst in a three way trade that lands the Mets a bona fide shortstop.

The trade market will be much more defined by July as well. Troy Tulowitzki will always be a long shot, but the Yankees acquiring Didi Gregorius means the most aggressive suitor is out of the equation. There are other teams that are hungry for Tulo, but everyone will want to see how the superstar returns from hip surgery before entertaining any calls from the Rockies’ front office. If he returns to the player he was in the first half of 2014 though, it’d be hard not to pick up the phone, especially if it’s ringing. A battery combo of Noah Syndergaard and Kevin Plawecki is likely where the conversation starts, but adding his first half performance of 2014 to a Mets team on pace for 85-86 wins, immediately vaults them to the top of the NL East.

The two Settle Mariners shortstops, Brad Miller and Chris Taylor, have consistently been mentioned in talks with the Mets, but so far nothing serious has manifested. One of those two players will own the M’s starting shortstop position out of spring training, but I imagine even the slightest lag in performance will make way for the one that’s on the bench. Miller’s offensive upside is said to be high, but the jury is still out on whether his defense can stick at short and he struggled at the plate last season, eventually making way for Taylor.

The latter was not ranked as highly as Miller within the organization, but he took advantage of an early call up and hit .287, played outstanding defense and flashed above average speed on the base paths with five steals in 47 games. Both players had abnormally skewed BABIP’s, which is never concrete in small sample sizes, but undoubtedly factored into the Steamer projections that show both Miller and Taylor having similar seasons in 2015.

Taylor’s BABIP was outrageously above the league average of around .300 in 2014, but his career BABIP in the minors is consistently high, so it could be indicative of how well he hits the ball. Then again, Miller simply needs to reach the potential he’s been tabbed with in order to be back in competition with Taylor and his BABIP suggests he’ll improve on last year’s campaign significantly. If that’s the case for these two offensively, it seems more logical to seek out the player with better defense.

There’s always the possibility that the Cubs and Mets come to a mutual agreement on the value of each others prospects and in that case, Starlin Castro would re-enter the discussions. No matter how well the current All-Star is performing, prospects always carry hope for a higher ceiling and that’s exactly what Chicago sees in Javier Baez and Addison Russell.

Perhaps the middle to back end of their rotation falls apart at the same time that Baez, Russell and top prospect Kris Bryant are all looking for full time jobs as infielders. In that scenario, a package of Jon Niese, representing a solid #3 starter and top catching prospect Kevin Plawecki may get a deal done. I’m not advocating this, but if the Mets plan to retain all their elite pitching, regardless of almost any deal, this is one of a few scenarios where the Amazins’ could take advantage of a buyer’s market. There’s a lot that needs to happen in order for this scenario to manifest, so it’s fair to dismiss these two clubs as future trade partners. That being said, circumstances always have a way of changing down the road.

Lastly, Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang has been a name catching fire with the Mets over the last few days as MLB clubs get prepared to make a bid on the international free agent. I question how serious the Mets are about getting involved because it’ll require some frivolous spending. The idea of ‘bidding’ does not fit into the Mets business model because it requires shoveling $2-$10 million just to have the right to sign the player. In all fairness, the Mets often get chastised for a lack of spending when the situation genuinely doesn’t warrant it, regardless of the dollar amount. Yes, Kang is putting up big power numbers, but you have to question whether he’ll connect like that against American pitching. As hot as this topic is right now, I just don’t see it happening, whether I’m right about his abilities or not.

It’s too early to confirm it, but common sense pegs Wilmer Flores as the opening day shortstop. If that’s the case, the front office should monitor external options now and up to the July trade deadline and be prepared to vault the club past the 85-86 win club they’re currently set as. Flores may run away with the job after the hard work he’s put into his fitness and conditioning this offseason. If that’s the case, the conversation turns to retaining Daniel Murphy, or trading him to clear a path for top prospect Dilson Herrera. If the shortstop position needs to be revisited, the team will have more clarity in July and in a better position to strike a deal that gets the club back to October baseball in 2015.

I’ll admit to being a lurker on these boards for awhile. The thing that brings me back to this site, again and again, is the civil and intelligent discourse that takes place here. So in the vein of “Fan Shots”, I offer this short take on the Mets’ current situation to act as my introduction into the community.

There’s a good team brewing here—one that has the potential to see postseason play for the first time in a long time. We’re no longer talking about 5 holes that need to be filled. Instead, we’re parsing the specifics about a couple of positions at most. And isn’t that great?

We’re all not sold as Wilmer Flores as our starting shortstop. We’re certainly not sold on a defensive combination of Daniel Murphy and Flores up the middle. In a vacuum, devoid of the payroll constraints handed down to the organization from Fred and Jeff Wilpon, Troy Tulowitzki would have a first class ticket here with his name on it. Unfortunately, that is not the reality in which we live. So we’re forced to speculate upon other teams’ thus far failed experiments. Gregorius, Miller, Bogaerts. Put their value up against Flores’ and there isn’t a whole lot of difference outside of hype and the allure of something new.

Cuddyer isn’t an everyday outfielder. Duda isn’t an everyday first baseman. But used in the right way, each of them has quite a bit of value to a properly managed ballclub. Granderson strikes out too much and Wright will probably never be the player he once was. If they could reach 80% of their potential, however, we’d cheer them and appreciate them as the players they currently are.

Our pitching is enviable. How many teams are going into Spring Training with 5 starting spots for 8 guys? Not many. Harvey is our Gooden. Wheeler is our Darling. Niese, Colon, Gee, Montero, Syndergaard, Matz…the depth is incredible. And our bullpen is quickly evolving into one of the best in the game. Take note of the Royals’ run this year. We’ve got the power arms that can carry us into October. Mejia, despite his histrionics, has the ‘cojones’ to walk to the mound in the 9th. Familia, Black, Parnell and Edgin complete a formidable bridge.

In the annals of Mets’ history, Terry Collins’ name will never sit alongside Hodges, Johnson or even Valentine, for that matter. Sometimes a team’s talent overrides a manager’s best intentions. But for a wicked 12-6 curveball, Willie Randolph might still be at the helm of our squad. Fate was not on our side that year, nor at Willie’s.

In my humblest of opinions, we are but one big offensive player away from challenging the league for ultimate supremacy. There was no talk of WAR or pitch framing when Carter was brought here. What he brought was a bat and leadership. Hernandez didn’t worry himself with his spray charts and an ineffectual batting coach. He saw the ball, hit the ball and knew when he needed to do it. The Mets don’t have that player right now. The closest thing we have is Daniel Murphy, and half of our fans are ready to run him out on a rail because he’s going to make $9 million dollars and isn’t Roberto Alomar at his peak defensively.

We are in for a very exciting season my friends, even if another move isn’t made. Of course there will certainly be a couple, both to appease the fan base and give a challenged strategical manager some options, but the days of buying a new squad are behind us. It is time to appreciate the team that is ours. It is time to start taking care of business.

* * * * * * * *

This Fan Shot was contributed by MMO reader James Davison. Have something you want to say about the Mets? Share your opinions with over 25,000 Met fans who read this site daily. Send your Fan Shot to FanShot@MetsmerizedOnline.com. Or ask us about becoming a regular contributor.

The Mets have more than a back-up plan should Daniel Murphy be moved in the offseason, they quite possibly have upgrades. It’s still a gamble though, Murphy’s production is solid and he has sustained it over the course of several years. In 126 games at second base this year, he batted (.302) with 34 doubles, 9 home runs and 53 RBI’s. A critical issue with the Mets offense this year was the inability to hit with men on base. However, Daniel’s numbers over the last few years suggest he’s part of the solution to that problem, particularly in high pressure scoring situations. Since 2011, he’s posted remarkable slashline of (.337/.404/.902) when there are runners in scoring position with two outs.

The caveat to Murphy’s offensive talent is his defense. In a recent ESPN article, Mark Simon noted that, Murphy has been at -10 or worse in Defensive Runs Saved for three straight seasons, meaning that his glove “neutralizes” his offensive upside. Overall, Daniel is a unique asset and I do not agree wholeheartedly with Simon’s analysis. Murphy possesses a set of tools that does come with extreme highs and lows, but the net result of his production is still valuable. So, if he were traded this offseason, what options do the Mets have internally?

One possibility is Dilson Herrera, considered by most scouts to be a top 100 prospect in all of baseball. The 20 year old Columbian received a surprise call-up from Double-A Binghamton in September and showed a lot of promise. Herrera only hit .220 during his brief stint, but managed to crank three home runs, a triple and eight RBI in just 59 at-bats. He flashed the tremendous bat speed that evaluators raved about, but he needs more polishing, which is why he’ll likely start 2015 at Triple-A Las Vegas. The idea of trading a productive Murphy before Herrera has proven he is ready for a full time promotion brings a ton of risk. Then there’s the ever forgotten man, Wilmer Flores.

I say forgotten man because Flores didn’t burst on to the scene like many fans expected and his name began to disappear more and more from conversations regarding the future of the Mets. In all fairness though, he played in another stratosphere when his glove was at second base this year. The numbers are relatively similar to Murphy’s, except for one category, power. Get this, Wilmer’s (.563) slugging percentage was (.266) points above his (.297) batting average. That isolated power (Batting Average – Slugging) was tops in the major leagues among any player who swung a bat as a second basemen. Wilmer played 18 games at the keystone, so there isn’t a tremendous sample size to evaluate him off of, but every scout and organizational evaluator believed he was capable of that production from the moment he was drafted.

Wally Backman stated that Flores was the best RBI guy he ever managed, which is why he often batted the young Venezuelan third in the lineup. The defense was never expected to be a premium tool of Wilmer’s, and while his efforts at shortstop were commendable, his glove, footwork and range all improved significantly at second base. Couple that with a powerful arm and he posted some nice little web gems at second, like this one.

The defensive confidence certainly had an impact at the plate, as Flores’ wRC+ of 152 and wOBA of (.385) were better than all qualified second baggers. Again, I’ll reel in the enthusiasm because it’s only 18 games, but it’s fascinating where advanced sabermetrics rank him during that time nonetheless. His extra base hit totals during that span, spread over a conservative season of 150 games, would give him 50 doubles and 25 home runs, respectably.

By comparison, Murphy is more of a pure hitter, but Flores wasn’t far behind and his bat has way more pop than Daniel. Wilmer’s performance at second base was what the Mets were hoping to see from Dilson Herrera someday, so if it’s already here, do the Mets take a gamble and hand the reigns to Flores? This is a critical decision for GM Sandy Alderson, make the wrong move and it could either weaken the Mets offense or impair player development. Make the right move and its money well spent or tremendous bang for the buck.

So, is Wilmer Flores the next big second baseman in NY? Let us know your thoughts.

Adam Rubin of ESPNtried to answer a question that Mets fans have been wondering since halfway through the 2014 season this afternoon. What will the 2015 payroll be?

There are only four players with guaranteed contracts. They are David Wright ($20 million), Curtis Granderson ($16 million), Bartolo Colon ($11 million) and Jonathon Niese ($7 million). That’s it. So the other 21 spots on the roster will be filled with players that are either arbitration eligible or not currently under contract.

Rubin estimated the arbitration numbers for the eight players that are eligible. Daniel Murphy led the way with a raise to Daniel Murphy $8.5 million from $5.7. Lucas Duda also gets a big raise to $5 million from $1.6375. The estimated arbitration payroll comes to $28.55 million for those eight players.

Adding the arbitration players to the guys already under contract, brings you to a payroll of $82.55 million for 12 players.

“There are 13 other players required to fill out a 25-man roster. Let’s say they all make close to the major league minimum in 2015, which will be adjusted upward modestly from this year’s $500,000 figure based on a cost of living calculation. That’s a total of at least $6.5 million.”

Rubin added that Mets officials previously have said they always add another $4.5 million or so to account for things such as more than 25 players on the payroll at any given time because of DL, etc.

So when you add that $11 million to the $82.55 million it puts the estimated Mets payroll at $93.55 million before they sign or add any new players.

Of course, you can’t ignore statements by Sandy Alderson who has said a few times not to expect a spike in payroll. I guess we’ll all know more as the offseason progresses.

Of all the Mets’ off-season questions, the matter of their leadoff hitter is one of the most intriguing. That is especially if their intent is to fill it from within.

With no budding Lou Brock or Rickey Henderson in their farm system, or even a Jose Reyes, their best hope is on their current 40-man roster. I say that because there’s no real answer for them in a particularly weak free-agent market and they are reluctant to trade their young pitching.

Young, Lagares and Nieuwenhuis have the speed, but also rather low on-base percentages and a penchant for striking out too much.

Of the group, Murphy is the best hitter, but for a relatively weak lineup he’s better suited for a run-producing slot in the middle of the order. Also, Murphy’s on-base percentage, at .332, isn’t as lofty as one might think.

If Murphy is still here – another substantial question – he should be hitting between second and sixth.

As for Young, there’s an excellent chance it will be a moot point and that he won’t be brought back.

Last winter, manager Terry Collins toyed with the idea of experimenting with Tejada. However the catch here is Tejada needs a position to play and that means starting ahead of Wilmer Flores, which isn’t a given.

Mets’ 11 different leadoff hitters ranked last in the majors with a .235 average and paltry a .308 on-base percentage. If they want to change that, they’ll have to hope for a breakout season from one of the aforementioned players or be willing to spend.

Thoughts from Joe D.

If the Mets are left with filling the void internally, they most certainly should go with a platoon as no current player has demonstrated an aptitude for handling a pitcher’s handedness with equal aplomb.

Lagares, who batted .349 with a .387 on-base against left-handers is a no-brainer, only Terry Collins didn’t stumble upon that until the waning weeks on the season. Far too late where the gifted center fielder could have made a difference in the results.

Nieuwenhuis and his .350 OBP is the best of the rest and would be very capable as the other half of the platoon. But it’s most likely he’ll be left in a reserve role where he has thrived as a pinch hitter. He has never fared well with regular playing time.

So who would partner with Lagares to fill the platoon? It’s tough to say as only Daniel Murphy and Curtis Granderson have the next best OBP vs RHP – and they’re tied with an unimpressive .329.

The fact is that much like last Winter and the one before that, Sandy Alderson will have to address this leadoff situation which has stagnated ever since Jose Reyes was allowed to move on.

If Sandy fails to properly address this again, it will be a third straight season of MLB’s worst production batting leadoff for the Mets, and that may make any overall offensive improvement in 2015 less likelier.

After finishing the season at a respectable 79-83 the New York Mets have some work to do in order to bolster a beleaguered offense that ranked 13th in the National League in batting average and 12th in slugging percentage. At the moment the only legitimate power threat in the Mets everyday lineup is Lucas Duda after a breakout season in which he hit 30 home runs. Now General Manager Sandy Alderson and his regime must find a way to get Duda some protection, which is hard to imagine considering the mess of a situation first base was last spring training, but yet here we are.

The Mets have a lot of organizational depth when it comes to starting pitching so they should not be afraid to deal one or two arms away if it means improving the offense. Here are a few trades that Alderson could potentially seek out.

Rockies Receive Jon Niese for Corey Dickerson

Corey Dickerson had a breakout year in 2014 for the Colorado Rockies hitting 24 home runs in 131 games. Some may scoff at the idea he is a legitimate power threat considering his home games are played at Coors Field. However, he did hit 32 home runs while playing in the SALL, the same league Mets affiliate the Savannah Sand Gnats are associated with, in 2011. His home and road splits may scare some off but if Dickerson could be a 20-25 home run hitter with a .275 batting average while playing average defense in left field it would be a perfect fit for both teams.

Additionally the Rockies have stated they want to bring back Michael Cuddyer, which would leave Dickerson without a position, and have been very reluctant to engage in trade talks regarding Carlos Gonzalez. Jon Niese has trade value at the moment but recent fatigue has to be worrisome for the Mets. Not dealing him this offseason when his value is as high as it ever will be would be a mistake.

Braves Receive Noah Syndergaard, Daniel Murphy for Jason Heyward

This is a tricky trade especially because it is dealing with in-division rival the Atlanta Braves. Who ever the Braves hire to be the new general manger will surely be looking to mix things up after an awful collapse in the second half. Jason Heyward will be a free agent after next season thus giving the Braves more incentive to deal him this offseason. Murphy would help a Braves offense that struggled scoring runs ranking 14th in the National League.

Many Mets fan do not like the idea of trading Daniel Murphy because he seems to have figured out how to hit in Citi Field however Wilmer Flores or Dilson Herrera will be viable, and cheaper, options to replace him. Noah Syndergaard is a top 10 prospect in all of baseball but with the emergence of Jacob deGrom he is more expendable this offseason. With Heyward manning right field for the Mets they would easily have the best defensive outfield in the major leagues.

The Pirates will most likely lose starting catcher Russell Martin this offseason due to free agency which would leave them in a very difficult spot, that is where the Mets come in. Starling Marte would be exactly what the Mets need, batting leadoff mixed with speed to steal bases while also playing a strong left field defensively. Kevin Plawecki will be one of the top rated catching prospects going into next year and will have immense trade value. Currently the Mets seem very comfortable with Travis d’Arnaud behind the plate, granted defensively he needs work, leaving Plawecki without a position on the big league team after a solid 2014 campaign in double and triple A.

The Mets may need to include some more prospects in a deal for Marte considering he is under contract until 2021 but Rafael Montero has showed signs of being a solid middle rotation starter and Plawecki seems major league ready. Also, Jack Leathersich could develop into a valuable left-handed reliever if he gets his control in order but at the moment, just like Plawecki, does not appear to have a spot on the Mets.

Phillies Receive Dillon Gee for Domonic Brown

It was most likely a mistake by the Mets not dealing Dillon Gee last offseason when his trade value was high. After a lackluster 2014 season Gee is on the outside looking in for the 2015 Mets starting rotation. He would be a solid addition to a Phillies pitching staff that ranked 12th in ERA in the NL. Considering Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has given no inclination into starting a rebuild this would make sense. Domonic Brown is only 27 and the Phillies have stated their desire to trade him. Brown, similarly to Gee, underperformed this season after hitting 27 home runs in 2013 and can not be a free agent until 2018.

This would be more of a last resort move for the Mets in terms of fixing the left field situation. Brown has the talent but needs an attitude adjustment, with the guidance from veteran leaders Curtis Granderson and David Wright he could potentially turn into a solid middle of the order bat.

Cubs Receive Zack Wheeler for Starlin Castro

Zack Wheeler was everything he was hyped up to be in 2014 and then some. Wheeler and Matt Harvey as your 1 and 2 starters going into next year would be phenomenal but the Mets are in dire need of an everyday shortstop. Thats where the Cubs, who lack young starting pitching, and Starlin Castro come in. Castro has been knocked for his hustle and attitude but most of that has been blown out of proportion, remember he is only 24-years-old. Castro proved that his 2013 season was a fluke and that he is clearly one of the top offensive shortstops in the major leagues. He is also signed until 2020 with a price tag that is low, due $6 million in 2015, considering his production level.

Trading Wheeler would be difficult because watching him grow into a dominant major league starting pitcher this season was exciting to watch. If the Cubs offered the Mets this deal there is no way they could turn it down. Castro would be a mainstay for years to come at a position that is crucial if a team plans on contending and being successful.

The Mets (78-83) beat the Astros (70-91) by a score of 2-1 on Saturday night at Citi Field.

Rafael Montero got the start for the Mets and pitched well, giving up 1 run on 6 hits and 2 walks in 5.1 innings, striking out 6 and throwing 91 pitches. Montero will finish his debut campaign with a 4.06 ERA in 44.1 innings pitched. Rafa will still be eligible for “Rookie Status” in the 2015 season. Also, if he’s good, we’re totally calling him Rafa. ¡Vamos Rafa!

The Mets struggled on offense for most of the game, tallying just 2 hits and a walk through the first 8 innings against Houston starter Samuel Deduno and the Astros’ relievers. New York almost scratched out a run in the bottom of the 2nd, when a 2-out error (which should have been scored a hit for Wilmer Flores) and a walk put a couple men on for Ruben Tejada. Ruben hit one up the middle which was knocked down just past the edge of the infield by a diving Marwin Gonzalez, who had no chance to get Tejada at first. However, with an 0-for-ever Rafael Montero “looming” on deck, Flores decided to push the envelope and break for the plate. Gonzalez popped up and fired home, beating Wilmer to the plate by a mile to end the inning.

Montero worked around a 1-out double in the next half-inning from his counterpart Deduno, which was ironically the Houston starter’s first career hit. Montero again got himself into trouble in the top of the 4th when a hit and a pair of 2-out walks loaded the bases, but the 23 year-old fanned Jake Marisnick to escape the jam.

The Astros finally broke through for the game’s first run in the top of the sixth. After Dexter Fowler‘s slow roller down the third-base line disappointed Daniel Murphy by staying fair, Jason Castro hit a double to the wall in right-field which allowed Fowler— who had been running on the pitch— to practically jog home. The double ended Montero’s outing and season, as Terry Collins brought in Buddy Carlyle to limit the damage to one run. Carlyle gave up a base-hit to Gonzalez, but Castro held up at third, and would be stranded there as Carlyle got Matt Dominguez to line out to Flores before Marisnick once again whiffed to end a scoring threat.

Matt den Dekker doubled with 1-out in the bottom of the sixth against Jake Buchanan and moved to third on a ground-out from Eric Young, prompting Houston skipper Tom Lawless (which would totally be my prison name) to bring in reliever Kevin Chapman to face Daniel Murphy. Murphy hit one towards the right side which seemed destined to tie the game, but a diving Chris Carter snared it and flipped it to first to retire the side and keep the Mets off the board.

After Carlyle got the side in order for an easy top of the 7th, Jeurys Familia worked a perfect inning of his own in the top of the 8th. Jenrry Mejia came in for the top of the 9th and went untouched as well, capping off a solid group effort from the Mets’ bullpen.

Jose Veras did his job and got the ball to Tony Sipp, who was tasked with preserving a 1-run lead in the bottom of the 9th. Sipp got Eric Campbell to fly out, but then surrendered a triple to Young to put the tying run 90 feet away. After Daniel Murphy’s soft floater to left field failed to travel far enough to give Young a chance to come home, Lucas Duda stepped to the plate with the Mets down to their final out. Duda got ahold of Sipp’s 1-0 fastball and sent a screaming liner off the foul pole in right, giving the Mets a 2-1 victory with his 29th home run of the season.

Well, it might have been meaningless, but that sure was a fun ending. 1 out away from losing, the Mets got a homer from their biggest slugger and snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat. And maybe it wasn’t so meaningless. The victory keeps the Mets ahead of the Marlins and tied with the Braves (against whom they won the season series) for 2nd place in the NL East and the 7th best record in the National League. We’re technically hurting our draft pick, but we won’t have a protected pick, and we’re not going to be signing a “Qualified” free agent anyway, so that’s not too important. Finishing 2nd would be nice, given that very few have viewed the Mets as being better than the Braves in the last few years.

Montero had a nice ending to what was a decent— albeit slightly disappointing– introduction to the Major Leagues. He’ll still be considered a Rookie next season, so to say he was a “complete bust of a rookie” would be false in more ways than one. Whether he will be groomed as a starter for a bit down in Triple-A, join the Major League bullpen, or be moved in a trade remains to be seen, but Rafael definitely showed some potential, which is all that is fair to ask from a 23 year-old.

Duda got to 29, and he has a chance to make it a round 30 in the season finale tomorrow. I’m really hoping he gets there just for entertainment’s sake, but of course, it’s just one home run either way.

I don’t have a problem with what Flores did. You have the pitcher on deck. You’ve already gotten set to charge home with the expectation that the ball is headed through the hole. Runs have been hard to come by. The shortstop needs to have the presence of mind to make the throw quickly, and the throw needs to be on target. The catcher needs to catch the ball perfectly. Heck, with this new rule about blocking the plate, you might get a run even if everything goes wrong. It was frustrating, but it was a justifiable decision given the context. That being said… boy, Flores and Tejada are SLOW.

This was my last recap in my first full season at MMO. It’s been great writing for you guys this year and I can’t wait to get started with some offseason articles, including—what else?— season recap pieces.

Up Next: The Mets will wrap up their season on Sunday afternoon against Houston. Bartolo Colon (14-13, 4.08 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets, while Nick Tropeano (1-2, 3.78 ERA) will pitch for Houston.

Hopefully we finish strong tomorrow. LGM!

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/09/mmo-game-recap-mets-2-astros-1.html/feed/0Di-JEST: Might As Well Be The Suckiesthttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/09/di-jest-might-as-well-be-the-suckiest.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/09/di-jest-might-as-well-be-the-suckiest.html/#commentsWed, 24 Sep 2014 20:56:15 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=166308

The missus and I just returned from a short vacation which means that I could see no Mets games on either SNY or PIX for about a week. Usually that’s a REAL vacation.

But I see that while I was away the team dismantled the Atlanta Braves and pretty much stymied any hopes they had of making the playoffs. I can’t believe I missed that since I’ve been waiting for the Amazins to do something like that since Larry “Chipper” Jones was a teenager.

One thing I did keep up with was Metsmerized (and the other lesser Mets-themed blogs).

Just as pretty much no one remembers who finished second in the Miss America contest or lost the last Super Bowl (yes I know that some of you know that one) being 28th or 29th out of 30 is nothing special. The key is to be at one end, 1st, or the other, 30th.

So let’s see what the team can do to move those low rankings to the very bottom.

Ownership – Rank 28 – Honesty and Loyalty to Core Players

The two teams that “beat” out the Mets here are Miami and Oakland. That Miami is there is no surprise to me. I think we can beat Oakland here easily.

The key to getting that rank from 28 to at least 29 and probably to 30 is this. Traditionally the team has badmouthed its players on their way out, e.g. Justin Turner.

Once arbitration numbers are exchanged the team will surely find a way to detach itself from Daniel Murphy. And when they do perhaps they’ll leak what a cancer he was in the clubhouse or some other drivel. That should be enough to fly past Oakland.

It may not get them to Loria’s lead position.

For that Jeff Wilpon might have to spray paint the words “Child out of wedlock” on the side of Leigh Castergine’s car.

Fan Relations – Rank 29 – Openness and consideration towards fans.

Here the only team that fared worse, and not by much, was the San Diego Padres.

This could be a trickier one than you might imagine. I suppose some of you have read this, especially if you are regular subscribers to the Jewish Business Daily (phew, glad I didn’t let my subscription run out):

You see the Mets have been dealing with “crushing debts” and denying it to the fanbase for years. Who knew????

As the oft quoted line goes:

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.

So now it looks like the tactic is to admit what we all knew and try to stall through another few years with a substandard payroll.

Stadium Experience – Rank 28 – Quality of ballpark and game day promotions as well as friendliness of the environment.

Without even looking up who did worse in this category I think I know how we can get that rank to 30. I’ve often read that the ushers are rude and disrespectful to fans and will shoo them out of the lower seat areas even if the attendance is puny and no one else is down there.

All they need to do is arm these boors with cattle prods and surely the rank will hit rock bottom.

Player Effort – Rank 28 – Overall effort displayed on field and likability of team

Guess what. I think this ranking is a bit unfair. This is a difficult club to love but not impossible to like. There are just too many guys to like for a ranking this low. How many of us don’t like Jake deGrom, Daniel Murphy, Juan Lagares, Travis d’Arnaud?

And while I’m staunchly anti-Eric Young Jr. as a player I give him credit for running out ALL his feeble grounders and being willing to steal a base late in a close game which even the immortal Jose Reyes wouldn’t do.

I just can’t see this player effort thing dropping to 30th any time soon.

The only team that ranks lower here is the Kansas City Royals. Personally I don’t think Terry Collins is a particularly good manager but I also tend to doubt that he and his crack coaching staff are only better than one other major league team.

With the addition of fan favorite Wally Backman to the coaching staff I imagine this ranking is going to be going up, not down, in the immediate future.

So I don’t think the Mets can get a perfect 30 in all categories – try as they may.

With second baseman Dilson Herrera suffering a right quadriceps strain and likely shutdown for the season with , the Mets announced they will add infielder Wilfredo Tovar to the big league team for the final six games of the season.

Herrera hit his third home run of the season last night before injuring himself legging out an infield single and leaving the game with the right quad strain.

Tovar was already on the 40-man roster so the decision to add him makes sense. He will join the team on Tuesday when the Mets begin a three game series with the Nationals. He hit .282 with two homers and 29 RBIs in 255 at-bats for Double-A Binghamton this season while logging 47 games at shortstop and 30 games at second base.

Tovar, 23, batted .288 with a .360 on-base percentage in 315 plate appearances this season for Binghamton (78 games and St. Lucie (5 games). He had 11 doubles, two triples, two home runs. 35 RBI and 33 runs scored. In 2013, Tovar appeared in seven games for the Mets, batting 3-for-15 with two RBIs.

By the way, Adam Rubin reports that Herrera will be playing Winter Ball for Licey in the Dominican Republic this offseason. He batted .220 with a .710 OPS, three home runs and 11 RBI in 18 games with the Mets this season.

More lies, more misinformation, more deviousness. It’s not what any of us want, but it’s what we’ve all become accustomed to whenever the Wilpons or Bud Selig get behind a microphone and their jaws start moving. And Tuesday’s dog and pony show by Bud Selig was only more evidence of that. He brought no relief, only more grief.

The nerve of this traveling vacuum cleaner salesman insulting our intelligence by citing the Baltimore Orioles ($114MM) and the St. Louis Cardinals ($119MM) as evidence that a team can win with a Mets-sized $83 million dollar payroll – a payroll that will not go up in 2015. How dare he come here to a team that’s been ravaged and then try to pull the wool over our eyes with more untruths and bullshit.

But I wouldn’t expect anything less from the person chiefly responsible for allowing this Wilpon debacle to continue for as long as it has. If only his farewell tour had been in 2004 instead of 2014, perhaps a better man with more integrity and a true passion for preserving the best interests of the game would have seen fit to handle the Madoff matter and all its aftermath in a far more befitting way.

Wearing his cheap suit and donning his crooked smile, Selig praised Fred and Jeff Wilpon and told us we should be grateful to have them. Are you freaking kidding me? He chose to dodge questions about the latest Wilpon scandal, choosing instead to say they have always done everything right. It was enough to make me gag.

And yet of course, the Wilpon propaganda machine came out in full force soon afterwards saying ‘who cares about payroll’ and ‘so what if we can’t sign any significant free agents’.

Our patience has been stretched to its sheer limits, and still we watch and we hope for things to get better. But will they? Can they?

Upon arrival, the plan according to Sandy Alderson was to do some belt-tightening, some payroll slashing, and an intense focus on stocking the farm with high-ceiling talent through trades, International signings, and the draft. In a few short seasons when this talent began to make it’s way to the major league team, we’ll spend again to fill in any missing pieces.

With a hoard of young pitching studs already here and the emergence of Travis d’Arnaud, Juan Lagares, Wilmer Flores and others on offense, you would think the time is ripe for a Mets run. But that’s not the case at all.

Sandy Alderson already forewarned that there will be no significant additions this Winter. The top priority for the Mets will be unloading the contracts of lone Mets All Star Daniel Murphy and at least two from a group of Bartolo Colon, Jon Niese and Dillon Gee.

With an $85 million budget and a burgeoning $22 million in raises due in 2015, the Mets are scrambling to clear a minimum of $20 million off the roster before Spring Training arrives. Any improvements will be strictly incidental. Winning be damned.

And knowing all of this, the world’s most famous used car salesman rolls into Citi Field in his limo to tell us everything’s great in Flushing and we should be grateful?

According to Kristie Ackert of The Daily News, Dana Eveland will miss the rest of the season. An MRI showed lots of inflammation in his elbow but no structural damage. Eveland will rest and then be reevaluated.

Eveland has been solid for the Mets this year, appearing in 27.1 innings and posting a 2.63 ERA. He has been used as both an inning guy and as a lefty specialist. Ironically, he was better against right handed hitters, holding them to a .216 batting average.

Original Story (9/11/14)

After the Mets 6-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on Thursday night, Terry Collins announced that catcher Travis d’Arnaud was removed from the game early because he was suffering from a sore wrist. Collins wouldn’t discuss the extent of the injury.

D’Arnaud was removed in the fifth inning and was replaced by Anthony Recker, who would hit a solo homer for the Mets’ first run of the game.

Daniel Murphy was also removed from the game after he was hit in the left wrist by a pitch from Matt Thornton in the eighth inning. X-rays were negative, but his swelling and bruising looked pretty bad. For now they’re calling it a contusion, and he had his wrist and forearm wrapped.

We’ll have more on both of these injuries after they are examined by team doctors in the morning.

After listening to Sandy Alderson warn military veterans that spending and flexibility would be limited this offseason, during a visit to the Manhattan VA Hospital, and after hearing him say spending doesn’t equate to winning and not to expect any significant free agent signing, I’ve become convinced of one thing… Daniel Murphy is playing his final games as a Met.

Even if the Mets were to do nothing and bring back the same team, they will have to dole out $22 million in raises next season. That’s a conservative calculation. Subtract the $7.25 million they won’t have to pay Chris Young and you’re looking at payroll rising from $85 million to roughly $99 million for the 2015 season. That ain’t happening.

Anyone making north of $5 million dollars will be targeted for elimination. Everyone that is except David Wright and Curtis Granderson who will earn a combined $36 million annually for the next three seasons.

I’ve come to grips with the fact that Daniel Murphy will be one of many roster casualties this offseason, and whether you think it’s the right move or not, let’s dispense with the notion that this is a good baseball decision and not a forced function of an ownership that is ill-equipped to operate in a large market. An ownership who has the franchise locked in a choke-hold.

Murphy returned from the disabled list and did what he’s been doing for nearly three years – get on base. And while he’s become so reliable at the top of the order, it’s his brand of baseball that I’ll miss most. He plays the game hard with a refreshing enthusiasm and energy it becomes almost infectious on the field and in the dugout.

I was waiting to hear him talk about overcoming his calf strain after last night’s game, but Murphy was too busy talking about Jacob deGrom‘s stellar outing and telling reporters how he wished he had a vote so he could cast it for his teammate for Rookie of the Year. That’s how true leaders operate.

Murphy, after hearing the news that Wright was being shutdown for the season, stepped up and said he would be more than willing to move to third so that the team can continue to play rookie Dilson Herrera and get a good look at him at second base. Yes, he said that. That’s how true leaders operate.

My biggest fear now is not that we’ll trade Murphy to clear his $7-8 million dollar salary off the books, but that he’ll become part of the Mets patented whisper campaign. You know, the one where they leak things like: “He was lazy and didn’t hustle.” “He was a bad influence on younger players.” “He was a depressed loner and always pouting by his locker.” “He was too into himself, always promoting one thing or another like climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro against the team’s wishes.”

You get the picture.

Always hustling, always playing hard, I hope they don’t tear this good man down and drag his name through the mud like many other Mets before him in recent years. Murphy has been the ultimate teammate and has given the Mets everything he’s got with nary a thought to what was best for him, and only interested in doing whatever the team needed from him. He has always been a consummate professional who wore his uniform with pride and a class act. I hope the Mets don’t smear his legacy and his good name on the way out.